Articles

Chief Minister of Karen State has ordered businessmen who have been granted land concession to lands confiscated from local villagers in the Hti Lon area in Hlaing Bwe Township to return the land to traditional owners. U Kyaw Soe Hlaing, a Forest Department officer from Hlaing Bwe Township in Karen State told Karen News that U Zaw Min, the Karen…

The Shan Human Rights Foundation released a media statement on 22nd October alleging that the Burma Army had on committed abuses against civilians while fighting the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (a.k.a Shan State Army-North or SSA-N) over for days. The Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF) statement said that “during October 12-18, 2014, the Burmese government troops continued to…

While the government insists it wants to end its conflicts with ethnic groups, locals in Karen State say they are still bearing the brunt of the brutal divide and conquer tactics. Recent escalation in heavy fighting in Karen State sent shockwaves through ethnic villages, shattering any trust they may have had in the current ceasefire and “peace talks” between the…

In an exclusive interview with Karen News, General Baw Kyaw Heh, the KNLA’s Vice-Chief of Staff, explained his decision to back the formation of a united Karen armed force called the Kawthoolei Armed Forces (KAF). Gen. Baw Kyaw explains his decision, stating that a united Karen armed forces was the best way to “reform the Karen security sector.” “In this…

In statement release yesterday, Sunday 19 October, an alliance of Karen women’s organisations gave their support to plans of four armed groups to reunite under the Kawthoolei Armed Forces (KAF) banner. The Karen Women’s Organization (KWO), the Karen Women’s Empowerment Group (KWEG) and Karen Women’s Union (KWU) said in their statement that they, “welcome the announcement, on October 13th, 2014,…

The Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), an independent community based human rights organisation, has called for all armed sides in Burma to hold members of their armed forces to account if they have perpetrated abuses, including any abusive actions taken in the latest fighting. The KHRG said that the DKBA and Burmese government forces involved in the recent fighting in…

Representatives from civil society groups, religious leaders and villages in the Tanitharyi Division have sent a petition letter to both the government’s Division Chief Minister and the Karen National Union’s Megui/Tavoy District chairperson to try to get development projects stopped that villagers claim are health hazards. The petition sent on October 13, was signed by 125 representatives from 46 villages,…

A statement released by members of the different Karen armed groups laid out plans for the major Karen armed organisations to form a united Karen force, the Kawthoolei Armed Forces (KAF). The statement spoke on behalf of the four major Karen armed organisations, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO), the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army…

An environmental coalition of civil society groups group has issued a statement claiming that recent armed conflict in Karen State is linked to the Burma government’s plans to dam the Salween River. Salween Watch said it was “gravely concerned at the recent escalation of fighting and displacement in Karen state, Burma/Myanmar, which is linked to plans by the Burma Army…

An artillery shell killed four and wounded nine civilians travelling on the Myawaddy – Kawkareik road – a major trading route from Thailand. An unidentified armed group is believed to have fired the shell that landed in front of a shop at Ale Bo Tae on Saturday, October 11. A police officer in Kawkareik Township, who asked to remain anonymous,…